Morning. There have been so many reports of bad behaviour from Sarria to the cathedral - pilgrims pushing in, stealing bunk places, being rude, etc ... that the diocese are introducing mobile confession booths in an attempt to bring some...
When? When is the question. No one can help you if you don’t tell us when.
Tickets on RENFE are typically made available about 1 month in advance. Madrid is a great city to spend a few months so perhaps they could just wait until you could meet...
I've been a yoga instructor for 22 years, and I agree with a number of the others here that no one, no matter how qualified and experienced, can safely provide advice online about your spine. Please follow the advice of those wise people here...
Go to a Physical Therapist immediately if you haven't done so already. Obviously there are different exercises for different conditions. Let the therapist be your guide and let the therapist show you how to do them properly.
"My leg strength is not as issue as I regularly ride 500-600km a week with 2000 to 4000m of climbing."
That is fine if you are cycling the Camino, but with only 6 weeks until you start, make sure you train for actual walking. Other than adding...
The best exercise you could do would be a brisk walk to a qualified physiotherapist.
Many of us with dodgy backs could make recommendations, but even I’m loath to take my own advice.
Have you considered that your cycling might be the root cause of your problems https://www.cyclingweekly.com/fitness/lower-back-pain-dont-blame-the-bike-32094
This site is run by Ivar at in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon